For about six years I used Brylcreem. Before that, Gatsby wet look gel in the blue box. I was not making a considered choice, I just picked what was in the shop near my house and what the guys in my college were using. The gel made my hair look like I had dipped it in cooking oil, and the Brylcreem made it sit flat in a way that looked fine at 9 AM and looked tired by noon. I did not know there were better options because nobody around me was using them.
When I finally switched to a clay-based product about two years ago, the difference was immediate and embarrassingly obvious. My hair had texture. It had some volume. It did not look like I had spent ten minutes on it, which is ironic because it took me about thirty seconds to apply. The finish was matte, which on Indian hair especially means the style looks natural rather than like you have done something to it. Let me go through each format properly so you can figure out what actually applies to you.
Gel: Gel was most Indian men’s first styling product and for many it never changed. The problem is that gel does exactly one thing well: strong, shiny hold. Once it dries, the hair is set. You cannot run your fingers through it, you cannot restyle it later in the day, and if it flakes, which cheaper gels do after a few hours, you end up with white specks on your hair and shoulders. Most gels have a high alcohol content which dries out the hair over time, leaving it brittle and prone to breakage. Using gel every day without proper washing and conditioning is quietly damaging hair that is already prone to dryness in the Indian climate. There is one situation where gel still makes sense: very specific slick looks, defined spikes, or styles where you need the hair to stay completely in place without movement. For everyday office or casual wear, there are better options in every measurable way.
Wax: This is the next category most Indian men discover after gel, and it is a genuine improvement. Wax gives you hold without setting hard. You can restyle through the day, the finish ranges from matte to semi-matte depending on the product, and it works across most Indian hair textures without weighing the hair down. Wax gives a natural to semi-matte finish with medium-strong, restylable hold, and works best on short to medium hair that is normal or thick.
The limitation of wax is that it can be difficult to wash out cleanly, especially wax-heavy formulas that leave a residue even after shampooing. Build-up over a week of daily use without a proper clarifying wash can make hair feel heavy and dull. Gatsby’s Moving Rubber range, despite being one of the most visible products in Indian salons, is wax-based and has this issue. The Clay Hold variant washes out more cleanly than the others, but it is still not as easy to remove as a water-based product.
Pomade: Pomade divides into two very different products that happen to share a name. Oil-based pomade is the old-school stuff, petroleum-based, high shine, strong hold, and nearly impossible to wash out without multiple shampoo passes. Think Bollywood films from the 80s. It looks polished and deliberate but is genuinely bad for daily use on Indian hair because it builds up heavily and clogs follicles over time. Water-based pomade is a different story entirely. Modern water-based pomades wash out in a single rinse, can be reworked by adding a little water during the day, and the finish varies by formula from high shine to more matte and natural.
Where pomade falls short is for men with thin or thinning hair. The dense texture tends to clump hair together and expose the scalp, which is the last thing anyone with thinning hair wants. For men with thick, dense hair who want a polished, side-parted or slicked-back look, a good water-based pomade is a solid choice.
Clay: This is the one most Indian men have still not discovered, and it is genuinely the most versatile format across different hair textures and types. Clay is the only product type where you can dial the hold level by adjusting quantity alone, without switching products. Apply more and hold increases. Apply less and you get lightweight grit and texture with minimal weight. It absorbs oil, making hair less flat, adds texture and grip, and creates the illusion of thicker hair with its matte finish. It is the best option for thin or fine hair. Avoid pomade and gel if your hair is thin because they add weight that pulls thin hair flat.
For Indian hair specifically, which tends to be thick and straight to slightly wavy for most men, clay gives a textured look that feels effortless without the wet, oily appearance that gel and oil-based pomade produce. The matte finish works especially well in our climate because there is no shine to amplify the flat, heavy look that humidity creates on styled hair. The only real learning curve with clay is the application. You need to work it through dry hair, not damp. And you warm a small amount between your palms first before applying, rather than scooping and putting it directly on the head. That thirty-second step matters and most people skip it.
The Products Worth Actually Buying
Ustraa Clay (₹299 to ₹349 for 100g)
Ustraa’s clay is known for strong hold and a natural matte finish, and uses ingredients like lemon oil and apple cider vinegar which support scalp health. The texture feels natural and does not leave heavy buildup. For an Indian brand at this price point, the performance is genuinely good. It holds through a full office day without reapplication, washes out cleanly with regular shampoo, and does not feel like a product that is sitting on your hair rather than working with it. For men with medium-length hair trying clay for the first time, this is a solid starting point.
Beardo Matte Wax
Beardo’s clay wax is known for a matte finish and firm grip that works well for both office and casual styles. It does not leave residue and is safe for daily use. It is technically positioned between clay and wax, which is useful because it has the washability of a lighter wax with the matte finish of a clay. The fragrance is noticeable and some people find it strong, so worth testing before committing to a large jar. The hold is reliable and the formula performs well even on hot, humid days, which for most Indian cities is six months of the year.
UrbanGabru Rebel Clay Wax
UrbanGabru’s clay wax uses natural ingredients including beeswax, red clay, keratin, kaolin clay, and bentonite clay, giving a natural matte finish with medium hold that can be restyled through the day. The bentonite and kaolin clay combination here is what makes the difference. Both clays absorb excess scalp oil, which means on a day when your hair is naturally producing more oil, the product compensates rather than adding to the problem the way a wax-heavy product would. For oily hair types specifically, this is probably the best value option available in India right now.
The Man Company Brawn Hair Wax
More polished packaging, slightly higher price, and a premium-feeling product. The hold is strong and the finish sits at natural rather than fully matte, which makes it work for both a clean office look and a slightly textured casual style. If you are moving away from gel for the first time and want something that feels like a step up rather than a lateral move, this feels more premium than the price suggests.
Gatsby Moving Rubber
I will give credit where it is due. Gatsby’s Moving Rubber range, specifically the Spiky Edge and Wild Shake variants, is genuinely better than most people in India give it credit for. The hold-to-texture ratio is good, it does not set completely rigid, and the consistency is easy to work with.
The limitation I mentioned stands: it does not wash out as cleanly as water-based or clay options. If you use it daily without a thorough shampoo wash every two days, you will feel the buildup. Use it for two to three washes a week rather than every day and it performs well. For men who specifically want defined texture with some separation on thick or wavy hair, the Spiky Edge variant is a legitimate recommendation.
L’Oreal Professionnel Tecni Art Mineral
This is the one most people do not think about because it sits in salon supply stores and Nykaa rather than pharmacy shelves. It is a clay-based styling product from a professional line, and the difference in consistency and finish compared to the Indian brands above is noticeable. The hold is strong but completely natural-looking, the product applies with better distribution because the texture is more refined, and it stays true through humidity without melting or going greasy. At this price it is not an everyday product for everyone, but if you have a specific event or want to understand what your hair actually looks like when styled with quality clay, this is worth the spend once to calibrate your expectations.
The one thing that makes any styling product work better on Indian hair
Blow dry your hair before applying product. Not necessarily to style it, just to remove moisture completely. Indian hair is thicker and denser than most hair types that these products were originally formulated around. Applying any product to damp hair weighs it down and reduces the hold and texture you actually get. Even thirty seconds of warm air from a dryer before applying makes a visible difference in how the product performs.
And start with less than you think you need. Every product in this category goes further on Indian hair than it suggests on the label because of hair density. A pea-sized amount of clay for short hair. A marble-sized amount for medium length. Warm it between both palms until it is evenly distributed, then work through the roots first before spreading to the ends.
by